I believe that strategic planning is not a one-off exercise but a libation practice—a structured process through which organizations and communities co-create visions of justice, map pathways to collective flourishing, and hold each other accountable to shared values.
Foundations: From Vision to Shared Commitment
True strategy begins by agreeing on purpose and scope. I facilitate inclusive visioning sessions where board members, staff, and community stakeholders articulate the organization’s core mission, values, and high-level goals. We surface tensions between institutional imperatives and community needs, then co-author a strategic charter that names both targets (e.g., “increase participatory governance by 50%”) and underlying principles (e.g., “prioritize BIPOC leadership in decision-making”).
Environmental Scan and Power Analysis
Next, we conduct a participatory environmental scan that includes:
- Contextual Mapping: Analyses of political, economic, and socio-cultural forces—such as funding landscapes, policy shifts, and local power hierarchies—that shape possibility.
- SWOT through an Equity Lens: Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats while centering marginalized voices to reveal hidden vulnerabilities.
- Power Flow Charts: Diagrams of formal and informal decision networks illuminating where power concentrates or is withheld.
These tools ensure that strategy responds not only to external trends but to internal power dynamics—so that plans redistribute authority rather than reproduce existing hierarchies.
Theory of Change: Articulating Pathways to Impact
We then co-construct a Theory of Change that connects activities to outcomes and long-term impact. Through facilitated workshops we:
- Define ultimate goals (e.g., “elevate grassroots-led policy agendas”).
- Identify intermediate outcomes (e.g., “strengthen community research capacities,” “expand coalition membership”).
- Map causal pathways and key assumptions about how interventions—trainings, participatory evaluations, advocacy campaigns—will produce those outcomes.
This living framework guides both implementation and evaluation, making strategy adaptive and accountable.
Balanced Scorecard for Equitable Performance Measurement
To translate strategy into action, we adapt Kaplan & Norton’s Balanced Scorecard with four liberation-centered perspectives:
- Community Voice: Measures of authentic participation—number of co-design sessions, demographic diversity of decision-making bodies.
- Internal Processes & Learning: Indicators of organizational reflexivity—frequency of power-analysis workshops, staff wellbeing metrics.
- Organizational Relationships: Quality of partnerships—mutual-aid activities facilitated, co-sponsored campaigns.
- Long-Term Impact: Structural shifts—policy wins achieved, shifts in resource allocations toward equity.
We co-design scorecard dashboards that track these metrics, enabling real-time learning and course correction.
Implementation: Collaborative Design and Adaptive Management
Strategic planning flourishes when paired with Project Management best practices. My implementation phases include:
- Pilot Projects: Small-scale tests of strategic initiatives—e.g., launching a peer-led evaluation circle
- Feedback Loops: Monthly “learning sprints” where teams review Balanced Scorecard data, Theory of Change assumptions, and adjust tactics.
- Scaling & Embedding: Transition successful pilots into core programming, while institutionalizing participatory governance protocols
This adaptive cycle prevents plans from ossifying and keeps strategy generative.
Working Together: Next Steps
If you’re ready to co-create a strategic plan that centers collective liberation, equity, and sustained impact, let’s talk. Book a complimentary discovery call where we’ll clarify your strategic priorities, outline a tailored planning process—whether a two-day retreat, multi-month cycle, or embedded partnership—and co-author a roadmap for systemic change.
Reach out through the Contact page to begin.
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